HMS Linnet (1806)
Encyclopedia
HMS Linnet was originally His Majesty’s revenue cutter Speedwell, launched in 1797, that the Royal Navy
purchased in 1806. Linnet captured a number of privateers before the French frigate Gloire
captured her in 1813. The French sold or transferred her to the Americans, who operated her as the privateer Bunkers Hill. In March 1814 the British recaptured her, but did not return her to service.
cutter Princess Augusta
to replace Beckett. On 29 July, Tracey was captain of Linnet when she and captured the French sloop Victor.
Puissant
and the "armed cutter" Linnet shared in the detention on 27 August of the Danish ship Deodaris. At the time, Puissant was an unarmed third rate serving as a receiving ship in the harbor at Portsmouth. Linnet may have been acting as a tender to her. That same day Linnet was in company with the cutter when they captured the Kron Prinz Frederick. On 4 November, Linnet detained the galiot
Wilhelmina, Willem Elderts, master.
On 16 January 1808, Linnet was some six or seven leagues
from Cape Barfleur when she saw a French lugger pursuing two English vessels, a ship and a brig. Linnet joined up with the English vessels and towards night was able to close with the lugger. After an engagement of a little over two hours, the French lugger was in a sinking state and so struck. She was the privateer Courier, of 18 guns. She had a complement of 60 men under the command of Captain Alexander Black, and had lost her second captain killed and three men wounded. (Linnet had no loses.) Courier had been out four days and had been sheltering from a gale at the Îles Saint-Marcouf
. She had not captured anything before herself being captured.
In March Linnet captured two French fishing vessels. The first was the Aimable Henriette (26 March) and the second was the Marie Alexandre.
Linnet was in company with and and so shared in the salvage for the recapture on 10 August of the Pappenbourg
galiot Young Hariot. Later that month, on 30 August, Linnet captured the French privateer lugger Foudroyant off Cherbourg. Foudroyant was out of Saint Malo and had been armed with ten 6-pounder guns, six of which she had thrown overboard during the chase. She had a complement of 25 men, under the command of Michael Pierre Gamier, but only 15 were on board.
On 30 October, Linnet recaptured the Harmony, which had been sailing from Oporto to London with wine.
A little over two weeks later, on 16 November, Linnet and worked together to capture the privateer General Paris, of Calais. General Paris was armed with three guns and had a crew of 38 men under the command of Mons. T. Sauville. She was three days out of Havre but had not taken any prizes.
Linnet is listed as one of the many vessels that took part in the ill-fated Walcheren Campaign
between 30 July and 18 August 1809.
In December 1810 Linnet recaptured the ship John, of Newcastle.
On 29 May 1812, Linnet took the privateer Petit Charles off Start Point, by Start Bay
. The privateer had a crew of 26 men, armed with small arms. She was four days out of Roscoff
and had not captured anything. Prize money was paid some two to three years later.
When news of the outbreak of the War of 1812
reached Britain, the Royal Navy seized all American vessels then in British ports. Linnet was among the Royal Navy vessels then lying at Spithead or Portsmouth and so entitled to share in the grant for the American ships Belleville, Janus, Aeos, Ganges and Leonidas seized there on 31 July 1812. A few days later, Linnet and the sloop captured the American brig Nancy.
, and to call on Lieutenant John Tracey to surrender. Instead, Tracey managed by adroit sailing to hold off his attacker for over an hour until shots from Gloire did sufficient damage to Linnets rigging that she was forced to surrender. The court martial of Lieutenant Tracy on 31 May 1814 for the loss of his vessel acquitted him, noting his seamanship, courage, judgment, and his attempt to disable the enemy vessel. The Navy subsequently promoted Tracey to the rank of commander.
Gloire took Linnet into Brest
, arriving on 27 February. The French transferred or sold Linnet to American owners who sailed her as the privateer Bunkers Hill or Bunker Hill. In August she was under the command of Captain Jacob Lewis when she sent into Chatham a British brig that had been carrying rum from Jamaica to Halifax
. Then on 18 August the British brig James arrived in Boston. She had been sailing from Halifax when Bunker Hill had captured her. The name of On 29 August there arrived in New York a British brig that had been sailing from Quebec to Bermuda when she had fallen prey to Bunker Hill.
On 4 March 1814, and , were sailing on the east coast when they captured the Bunker’s Hill. She carried 14 guns and had a crew of 86 men. Previously very successful, she had been cruising for eight days out of Morlaix
without having made a single capture. The Navy did not take her back into service.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
purchased in 1806. Linnet captured a number of privateers before the French frigate Gloire
French frigate Gloire (1803)
Gloire was a 44-gun frigate of the French Navy.She took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805. On 18 July, she captured and burnt a Prussian cutter to maintain the secrecy of the movements of the fleet, in spite of the neutrality of Prussia at the time...
captured her in 1813. The French sold or transferred her to the Americans, who operated her as the privateer Bunkers Hill. In March 1814 the British recaptured her, but did not return her to service.
Royal Navy service
The Royal Navy commissioned Linnet in December 1806 under Lieutenant Joseph Beckett. In 1807 Lieutenant John Tracey (or Treacy, or Treacey, or Tracy) transferred from the hired armedHired armed vessels
right|thumb|250px|Armed cutter, etching in the [[National Maritime Museum]], [[Greenwich]]During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Royal Navy made use of a considerable number of hired armed vessels...
cutter Princess Augusta
Hired armed cutter Princess Augusta
The Hired armed cutter Princess Augusta served the Royal Navy from 12 July 1803 to 2 May 1814. She was armed with eight 4-pounder guns, had a complement of 26 men, and was of 70 tons burthen...
to replace Beckett. On 29 July, Tracey was captain of Linnet when she and captured the French sloop Victor.
Puissant
French ship Puissant (1782)
Puissant was built in 1781-82 to a design by Antoine Groignard as a Pégase-class third rate. Her captain handed her over to the British at Toulon on 29 August 1793. She arrived at Portsmouth on 3 May 1794...
and the "armed cutter" Linnet shared in the detention on 27 August of the Danish ship Deodaris. At the time, Puissant was an unarmed third rate serving as a receiving ship in the harbor at Portsmouth. Linnet may have been acting as a tender to her. That same day Linnet was in company with the cutter when they captured the Kron Prinz Frederick. On 4 November, Linnet detained the galiot
Galiot
Galiots were types of ships from the Age of Sail.In the Mediterranean, galiots were a type of small galley, with one or two masts and about twenty oars, using both sails and oars for propulsion...
Wilhelmina, Willem Elderts, master.
On 16 January 1808, Linnet was some six or seven leagues
League (unit)
A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
from Cape Barfleur when she saw a French lugger pursuing two English vessels, a ship and a brig. Linnet joined up with the English vessels and towards night was able to close with the lugger. After an engagement of a little over two hours, the French lugger was in a sinking state and so struck. She was the privateer Courier, of 18 guns. She had a complement of 60 men under the command of Captain Alexander Black, and had lost her second captain killed and three men wounded. (Linnet had no loses.) Courier had been out four days and had been sheltering from a gale at the Îles Saint-Marcouf
Îles Saint-Marcouf
Îles Saint-Marcouf are a group of two small uninhabited islands off the coast of Normandy, France. They lie in the Baie de la Seine region of the English Channel and are 6.5 kilometres east of the coast of the Cotentin peninsula at Ravenoville and 13 kilometres from the island of Tatihou...
. She had not captured anything before herself being captured.
In March Linnet captured two French fishing vessels. The first was the Aimable Henriette (26 March) and the second was the Marie Alexandre.
Linnet was in company with and and so shared in the salvage for the recapture on 10 August of the Pappenbourg
Papenburg
Papenburg is a city in the district of Emsland in Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners.-Districts:...
galiot Young Hariot. Later that month, on 30 August, Linnet captured the French privateer lugger Foudroyant off Cherbourg. Foudroyant was out of Saint Malo and had been armed with ten 6-pounder guns, six of which she had thrown overboard during the chase. She had a complement of 25 men, under the command of Michael Pierre Gamier, but only 15 were on board.
On 30 October, Linnet recaptured the Harmony, which had been sailing from Oporto to London with wine.
A little over two weeks later, on 16 November, Linnet and worked together to capture the privateer General Paris, of Calais. General Paris was armed with three guns and had a crew of 38 men under the command of Mons. T. Sauville. She was three days out of Havre but had not taken any prizes.
Linnet is listed as one of the many vessels that took part in the ill-fated Walcheren Campaign
Walcheren Campaign
The Walcheren Campaign was an unsuccessful British expedition to the Netherlands in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with France during the War of the Fifth Coalition. Around 40,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses together with field artillery and two siege trains...
between 30 July and 18 August 1809.
In December 1810 Linnet recaptured the ship John, of Newcastle.
On 29 May 1812, Linnet took the privateer Petit Charles off Start Point, by Start Bay
Start Bay
Start Bay is the bay in the English Channel in Devon, England between the River Dart's estuary and Start Point. On the coast, from south to north, are Hallsands, Beesands, Torcross, the Slapton Sands, Strete, Blackpool Sands and Stoke Fleming...
. The privateer had a crew of 26 men, armed with small arms. She was four days out of Roscoff
Roscoff
Roscoff is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.The nearby Île de Batz, called Enez Vaz in Breton, is a small island that can be reached by launch from the harbour....
and had not captured anything. Prize money was paid some two to three years later.
When news of the outbreak of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
reached Britain, the Royal Navy seized all American vessels then in British ports. Linnet was among the Royal Navy vessels then lying at Spithead or Portsmouth and so entitled to share in the grant for the American ships Belleville, Janus, Aeos, Ganges and Leonidas seized there on 31 July 1812. A few days later, Linnet and the sloop captured the American brig Nancy.
Capture and fate
Linnet was sailing in the western approaches to the Channel on 25 February 1813 in high winds and heavy seas. She sighted a large vessel that proceeded to give chase, and did not identify itself. By 1430 hours, the frigate had gotten close enough to Linnet to identify herself as the GloireFrench frigate Gloire (1803)
Gloire was a 44-gun frigate of the French Navy.She took part in Allemand's expedition of 1805. On 18 July, she captured and burnt a Prussian cutter to maintain the secrecy of the movements of the fleet, in spite of the neutrality of Prussia at the time...
, and to call on Lieutenant John Tracey to surrender. Instead, Tracey managed by adroit sailing to hold off his attacker for over an hour until shots from Gloire did sufficient damage to Linnets rigging that she was forced to surrender. The court martial of Lieutenant Tracy on 31 May 1814 for the loss of his vessel acquitted him, noting his seamanship, courage, judgment, and his attempt to disable the enemy vessel. The Navy subsequently promoted Tracey to the rank of commander.
Gloire took Linnet into Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, arriving on 27 February. The French transferred or sold Linnet to American owners who sailed her as the privateer Bunkers Hill or Bunker Hill. In August she was under the command of Captain Jacob Lewis when she sent into Chatham a British brig that had been carrying rum from Jamaica to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. Then on 18 August the British brig James arrived in Boston. She had been sailing from Halifax when Bunker Hill had captured her. The name of On 29 August there arrived in New York a British brig that had been sailing from Quebec to Bermuda when she had fallen prey to Bunker Hill.
On 4 March 1814, and , were sailing on the east coast when they captured the Bunker’s Hill. She carried 14 guns and had a crew of 86 men. Previously very successful, she had been cruising for eight days out of Morlaix
Morlaix
Morlaix is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Leisure and tourism:...
without having made a single capture. The Navy did not take her back into service.